All These Worlds Are Yours Except Europa
-2001 A Space Odyssey
The Space Race between the United States and Russia in the 20th century went beyond just the Moon in the 1980s. Each country, showing off their “technological prowess” by going to the Moon, was secretly building more advanced ships that would take them to further reaches of the solar system. Europa, a moon of Jupiter, was chosen due to the icy surface potentially hiding water underneath. The launches were almost simultaneous, both countries first launching unmanned ships with materials to reach Europa first. Then, in intentionally big ships meant to be broken down for scrap after landing, the first human teams were sent into space.
The world was in awe, and other countries were quick to join the race to the stars. One by one, countries launched hundreds of people into space, and they began to colonize Europa. International camaraderie formed on the cold, unforgiving moon, but pride (verging on nationalism) still prevailed. A UN was forged, and they engineered the moon base MINOS together. Starting from the crater Pwyll, the early settlers built a dome to enclose it, and upon finding natural caves (and making some of their own), created a root-system base that spreads out from the main dome. Under the layers of ice that became MINOS lies a vast ocean full of giant, almost monstrous sea creatures unlike those seen on Earth. Ice fishing became a major source of food, greenhouses were built for crops, and companies are creating synthetic meals. Resources are brought in from old material launches, or small ships are sent on mining missions to nearby moons and asteroids, primarily Io.
On the infamous day of Ire, Ireland, one of the last countries to get citizens on Europa and the last to launch their own ship, cut too many corners before their launch. The ship was hastily made and untested, and they had followed the example of the Togo who had built a ship bigger than any had seen before. The Irish’ takeoff used a scrap-heap jumble of experimental hyperdrive technology and the Earth was left in ruin. A hole was blasted through the side, and the planet left uninhabitable. The people of Europa had no home planet to return to, and so this cold moon is all they have left. The year is now 2133.
Government
Government Strength: Each country has its own government. Some are stronger than others, and the main “power-houses” are: United States, Russia, Togo, China, India, and Japan. Elected officials sit on a UN council that have an overarching rule over the whole base to keep balance, and have a set of rules that apply to all nations on MINOS. Otherwise, countries apply their own laws to their territories in their base, and citizens are identified by their home country.
Rule of Law: The people of MINOS are sticklers for the rules, and for the most part, the laws are followed quite well. The only instance where the laws are purposefully broken are outside the boundaries of MINOS during one of the speedraces that takes place every few months. Other than that, there are of course thieves and criminals, but their numbers are low. There is a police force that patrols the streets, and they are well respected, if not feared. They are a strict force against rule-breaking, and there are particular “line guards” that maintain order at territory lines, since each country has a different set of rules.
Social Services: Social services are inconsistent throughout Minos. Since countries are divided and have different numbers of resources and uphold different political views, you will find different amounts of social services throughout the city. Some countries offer free healthcare while others do not. Resources are scarce in Minos however so political officials that want to offer more to their people do not have the means and face the opposition of other political figures who are being controlled by the donations of there rich constituents. Food resources are often spread thin by inconsistent and dangerous fishing and unstable crops, so the market for produce often spikes to high prices, and synthesized food only goes so far. Housing, especially in poor areas, can be fragile and tunnels are not properly reinforced consistently through MINOS, so tunnel collapses can leave citizens homeless. Work days are long and hard, and in some cases dangerous, with not much pay. There is a provided home-schooling program coded and created by one of the citizens used by the majority of the children of MINOS.
Economics
Economic Strength: The economy of MINOS is on thin ice, literally. Strained resources, limited food supply, and strict laws and regulations make the economy extremely susceptible to recessions and inflation. The UN prioritizes resource flows towards building the new racetrack instead of towards reinforcing and updating lower class areas, leading to anger amongst the poorer citizens. They see the race track as the best way to make more money, through audience and advertisement, and to make money you have to spend money. Taxes have been rising and are being funneled into these public developments. The fragile economy has caused civil unrest for centuries, but with recent plan proposals, citizens are on the verge of rioting. The section of the UN that is in charge of the SpaceTrack is far to powerful for its own good. The issue here is that it makes money to run many of the government funded projects, including the track. While this is a positive, this also means that the SpaceTrack committee has an incredible amount of leverage over governmental spending. Which in turn funnels more money into revamping and getting people excited about new SpaceTrack renovations. This time the announcement of a third SpaceTrack is proposed to surround all of Europa in an effort to raise hype for the races exponentially. Ironically this was not taken well at all, and all but the small margin that will profit are extremely unhappy. This sort of capital driven public works project can only last so long.
Wealth Distribution: Most people have enough to get by, maybe not entirely comfortably but they aren’t starving. Citizens are taxed heavily to keep MINOS running, and resources are heavily controlled by the UN and individual countries. Public leaders and technology corporations are very rich, and racers are brought to celebrity level with benefactors and advertisements. But those who haven’t made it, up-and-coming racers, blue-collar workers, and other lower class citizens, are often seen as just cogs in the machine, provided with enough to keep them working, but the imbalance is unhappily felt.
Agriculture and trade: Underneath the icy surface of Europa is a cold ocean full of life. Fish and other sea-life are a large part of the diet in MINOS. Since arriving, scientists and engineers have developed methods of catching fish efficiently and other systems to determine the toxicity of the fish. Because of Europa’s metallic core (made specifically of Iron and Sulphur), some of the sea-life in the ocean is contaminated and not suitable for consumption. Ice fishing is also very dangerous, as within the ocean dwell huge and monstrous fish unlike any seen on Earth. They are hard to catch and sometimes deadly, but truly a prize to be one with how much food is harvested. These fish are often sold in markets and auction houses where hundreds gather at the break of dawn to bid on the biggest and most unique fish. A portion of the food is grown in greenhouses, which are cared for by a team of farmers. Some countries share greenhouses, due to the limited space in the crater, but for the most part, each country grows their food separately. In the last few decades, synthetic meals have been researched and develop to help supplement the diets of MINOS citizens after a particularly tough food strain. The meals are cheap, easy to make, and provide basic nutrition, they’re just not that great to eat. Tending towards flavorless and dry, or salty and mushy, it’s mostly the low class that has to resort to eating synthetic meals. There are some higher grade synthesized foods, to the point where they can almost be mistaken for real, but they are new developments and very expensive. As for energy, Icelandic Geothermal Technology took center stage as the shifting core within Europa creating massive heat spots under the ice. This energy is harvested through metal pillars deep within the ground which boil water and can heat many buildings, used for cooking, or even spin turbines for electricity. This renewable energy is the backbone of what keeps Minos running.
Social
Racial Equality: Racial tension on MINOS is caused by the divisions between countries post-arrival. There is a lot of hatred towards the Irish on MINOS because of their rocket that destroyed the Earth. Though there are some that do not hold any grudges against the Irish, they are generally unwelcome in many places, and are met with resentment when people discover their country of origin because of the Day of Ire. Despite the prejudices of the past, race relations have been improving every year since humanity’s arrival on Europa. MINOS is a fraction of the size of Earth, so nationalist tensions were stamped out in the first few decades of colonization. The police force was put into place to prevent turf wars and criminal activity that could skew the balance put in place by the UN. Each country has their own area within the moonbase to maintain cultural integrity and preserve native languages, and well as keep a feeling of independence within the policy of cooperation on MINOS.
Class Equality: There are large disparities between the upper and lower classes of MINOS. The wealthiest people on the planet live in luxury homes nearest to the racetrack. Some can trace their wealth back to the family’s fortunes on Earth, while the majority have made their riches from mining crystals from the center of Europa. The poorer residents of MINOS live in terrible housing near the outer ring of the city. The government was supposed to build new housing near the abandoned race track, meant for lower income families, but they never did. Lower class areas are susceptible to cave-ins and other construction and technological bugs caused by hasty building to accommodate a rapidly growing population. The neighborhoods are close in quarters and inconsistently insulated against the cold temperatures of the ice tunnels.
Gender Equality: Unlike their Earth relatives, the people of MINOS have, for the most part, do not have sexist biases. Sexism is a thing of the past, and there are no prejudices against anyone of any gender, including those who do not identify with the gender binary. In fact, it is much more common than it was on Earth for individuals to identify as neither male or female, and so MINOS officially recognizes 3+ genders.
Sexual Orientation Equality: There is no bias against any sexual orientation in MINOS. Same-sex marriage was legalized from the start, and the vast majority of people are not homophobic. Those who are, are seen as unusual and are often looked down on.
Cultural
Military Influence: Each country has their own police force and in the past those differing forces have fought, but the UN has recently enacted regulations on the militia to unify them across nations. They are trained in UN mandated facilities to keep behaviors consistent, so an officer will have an identifier for their country, but ultimately answers to the UN. Since everyone lives in such close quarters there have been major effort to quell that activity and have them work together, in order to obtain a safer Minos. This has been funneling more desire for conflict resolution between countries through the race. Police brutality for the poor is still rampant. Since there is not a lot of space to house prisoners, police often instead make a lesson of individuals and antagonise people in the streets as an effort to cut down on crime and enforce the law. However it ends up being often unnecessary and just as an act to assert power.
Religious Influence: Religion in MINOS is uncommon, but still practiced. There are a few people that have had their beliefs passed down from one generation to the next. When it is practiced it is in the home and not often in large groups or in churches like would have been found back on Earth. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are the most commonly found. There is a large separation of church and state within the majority of the governments of MINOS, but there are a few that still take religion into consideration when making political decisions.
Technology Influence: In the years before the Day of Ire, Earth was seeing an innovation boom that the industrial revolution couldn’t even shake a stick at. Every country found that during the original Earth Space Race, technology was highly coveted and consumed by the masses. The newest, biggest, and most powerful car, computer, and tech was always flowing out of well crafted pipelines. Everyone wanted the next best thing, and soon after they would have it. Instant gratification was at an all time high. Tape decks were getting refined into crystal clear audio, and computers CRT monitors were bigger, brighter, and more enticing than ever. Transatlantic cables were connecting users across the world, coding their own creations to send to other users and crafting online games where up to 50 users could play together. Societies of fuel junkies were popping up as cars took a new ideal. Sharp lines and slim windows edged the outside of the silverline and wood trimmed muscle cars. While the ships took to Europa this obsession only continued into the stars. Ships were built to resemble iconic Mustangs and LAN networks were set up on board. Europa did not have much time to innovate along side the Earth until it was destroyed. Therefore the colony of Minos is stuck in time and in space, an ever shifting collage of technology from the past. Repairing and attempting to improve what has already been invented before the day of Ire. However, there is sun on the horizon, and rumors that new tech has hit the market.
Arts and Culture Influence: People have found ways of making art all throughout MINOS. Each country has its own mediums and styles. It is not uncommon to see music being performed by busters in the street or murals on the side of walls, or a caricature artist trying to make a quick buck. The rich in the center of the city love to live in luxury and will pay for expensive clothing, and furniture design, or grand paintings. There is also a popular film/television scene around MINOS, and each country is has a few channels which can be broadcast around the moon. These channels are made to be accessible to each country so that even people from Russia can get shows from Togo, even though they might not understand them. Movies are equally as distributed, though they are few and far between. Television and film is expensive and difficult to produce, but with the rising capabilities of technology, the citizens of MINOS are finding more ways to provide entertainment. This is where coding loggers came into play. Those so enamored by the games of 1980’s Earth picked them apart until they could create them themselves. Spinning these games onto magnetic disks and chunky cartridges, thousands of gamers were created. The games spread like wildfire throughout Minos, and eventually a spiderweb of wires spread through the colony. Connecting hundreds of users all throwing BASIC code back and forth in a beautiful interconnected hive.
All These Worlds Are Yours Except Europa
-2001 A Space Odyssey
The Space Race between the United States and Russia in the 20th century went beyond just the Moon in the 1980s. Each country, showing off their “technological prowess” by going to the Moon, was secretly building more advanced ships that would take them to further reaches of the solar system. Europa, a moon of Jupiter, was chosen due to the icy surface potentially hiding water underneath. The launches were almost simultaneous, both countries first launching unmanned ships with materials to reach Europa first. Then, in intentionally big ships meant to be broken down for scrap after landing, the first human teams were sent into space.
The world was in awe, and other countries were quick to join the race to the stars. One by one, countries launched hundreds of people into space, and they began to colonize Europa. International camaraderie formed on the cold, unforgiving moon, but pride (verging on nationalism) still prevailed. A UN was forged, and they engineered the moon base MINOS together. Starting from the crater Pwyll, the early settlers built a dome to enclose it, and upon finding natural caves (and making some of their own), created a root-system base that spreads out from the main dome. Under the layers of ice that became MINOS lies a vast ocean full of giant, almost monstrous sea creatures unlike those seen on Earth. Ice fishing became a major source of food, greenhouses were built for crops, and companies are creating synthetic meals. Resources are brought in from old material launches, or small ships are sent on mining missions to nearby moons and asteroids, primarily Io.
On the infamous day of Ire, Ireland, one of the last countries to get citizens on Europa and the last to launch their own ship, cut too many corners before their launch. The ship was hastily made and untested, and they had followed the example of the Togo who had built a ship bigger than any had seen before. The Irish’ takeoff used a scrap-heap jumble of experimental hyperdrive technology and the Earth was left in ruin. A hole was blasted through the side, and the planet left uninhabitable. The people of Europa had no home planet to return to, and so this cold moon is all they have left. The year is now 2133.
Government
Government Strength: Each country has its own government. Some are stronger than others, and the main “power-houses” are: United States, Russia, Togo, China, India, and Japan. Elected officials sit on a UN council that have an overarching rule over the whole base to keep balance, and have a set of rules that apply to all nations on MINOS. Otherwise, countries apply their own laws to their territories in their base, and citizens are identified by their home country.
Rule of Law: The people of MINOS are sticklers for the rules, and for the most part, the laws are followed quite well. The only instance where the laws are purposefully broken are outside the boundaries of MINOS during one of the speedraces that takes place every few months. Other than that, there are of course thieves and criminals, but their numbers are low. There is a police force that patrols the streets, and they are well respected, if not feared. They are a strict force against rule-breaking, and there are particular “line guards” that maintain order at territory lines, since each country has a different set of rules.
Social Services: Social services are inconsistent throughout Minos. Since countries are divided and have different numbers of resources and uphold different political views, you will find different amounts of social services throughout the city. Some countries offer free healthcare while others do not. Resources are scarce in Minos however so political officials that want to offer more to their people do not have the means and face the opposition of other political figures who are being controlled by the donations of there rich constituents. Food resources are often spread thin by inconsistent and dangerous fishing and unstable crops, so the market for produce often spikes to high prices, and synthesized food only goes so far. Housing, especially in poor areas, can be fragile and tunnels are not properly reinforced consistently through MINOS, so tunnel collapses can leave citizens homeless. Work days are long and hard, and in some cases dangerous, with not much pay. There is a provided home-schooling program coded and created by one of the citizens used by the majority of the children of MINOS.
Economics
Economic Strength: The economy of MINOS is on thin ice, literally. Strained resources, limited food supply, and strict laws and regulations make the economy extremely susceptible to recessions and inflation. The UN prioritizes resource flows towards building the new racetrack instead of towards reinforcing and updating lower class areas, leading to anger amongst the poorer citizens. They see the race track as the best way to make more money, through audience and advertisement, and to make money you have to spend money. Taxes have been rising and are being funneled into these public developments. The fragile economy has caused civil unrest for centuries, but with recent plan proposals, citizens are on the verge of rioting. The section of the UN that is in charge of the SpaceTrack is far to powerful for its own good. The issue here is that it makes money to run many of the government funded projects, including the track. While this is a positive, this also means that the SpaceTrack committee has an incredible amount of leverage over governmental spending. Which in turn funnels more money into revamping and getting people excited about new SpaceTrack renovations. This time the announcement of a third SpaceTrack is proposed to surround all of Europa in an effort to raise hype for the races exponentially. Ironically this was not taken well at all, and all but the small margin that will profit are extremely unhappy. This sort of capital driven public works project can only last so long.
Wealth Distribution: Most people have enough to get by, maybe not entirely comfortably but they aren’t starving. Citizens are taxed heavily to keep MINOS running, and resources are heavily controlled by the UN and individual countries. Public leaders and technology corporations are very rich, and racers are brought to celebrity level with benefactors and advertisements. But those who haven’t made it, up-and-coming racers, blue-collar workers, and other lower class citizens, are often seen as just cogs in the machine, provided with enough to keep them working, but the imbalance is unhappily felt.
Agriculture and trade: Underneath the icy surface of Europa is a cold ocean full of life. Fish and other sea-life are a large part of the diet in MINOS. Since arriving, scientists and engineers have developed methods of catching fish efficiently and other systems to determine the toxicity of the fish. Because of Europa’s metallic core (made specifically of Iron and Sulphur), some of the sea-life in the ocean is contaminated and not suitable for consumption. Ice fishing is also very dangerous, as within the ocean dwell huge and monstrous fish unlike any seen on Earth. They are hard to catch and sometimes deadly, but truly a prize to be one with how much food is harvested. These fish are often sold in markets and auction houses where hundreds gather at the break of dawn to bid on the biggest and most unique fish. A portion of the food is grown in greenhouses, which are cared for by a team of farmers. Some countries share greenhouses, due to the limited space in the crater, but for the most part, each country grows their food separately. In the last few decades, synthetic meals have been researched and develop to help supplement the diets of MINOS citizens after a particularly tough food strain. The meals are cheap, easy to make, and provide basic nutrition, they’re just not that great to eat. Tending towards flavorless and dry, or salty and mushy, it’s mostly the low class that has to resort to eating synthetic meals. There are some higher grade synthesized foods, to the point where they can almost be mistaken for real, but they are new developments and very expensive. As for energy, Icelandic Geothermal Technology took center stage as the shifting core within Europa creating massive heat spots under the ice. This energy is harvested through metal pillars deep within the ground which boil water and can heat many buildings, used for cooking, or even spin turbines for electricity. This renewable energy is the backbone of what keeps Minos running.
Social
Racial Equality: Racial tension on MINOS is caused by the divisions between countries post-arrival. There is a lot of hatred towards the Irish on MINOS because of their rocket that destroyed the Earth. Though there are some that do not hold any grudges against the Irish, they are generally unwelcome in many places, and are met with resentment when people discover their country of origin because of the Day of Ire. Despite the prejudices of the past, race relations have been improving every year since humanity’s arrival on Europa. MINOS is a fraction of the size of Earth, so nationalist tensions were stamped out in the first few decades of colonization. The police force was put into place to prevent turf wars and criminal activity that could skew the balance put in place by the UN. Each country has their own area within the moonbase to maintain cultural integrity and preserve native languages, and well as keep a feeling of independence within the policy of cooperation on MINOS.
Class Equality: There are large disparities between the upper and lower classes of MINOS. The wealthiest people on the planet live in luxury homes nearest to the racetrack. Some can trace their wealth back to the family’s fortunes on Earth, while the majority have made their riches from mining crystals from the center of Europa. The poorer residents of MINOS live in terrible housing near the outer ring of the city. The government was supposed to build new housing near the abandoned race track, meant for lower income families, but they never did. Lower class areas are susceptible to cave-ins and other construction and technological bugs caused by hasty building to accommodate a rapidly growing population. The neighborhoods are close in quarters and inconsistently insulated against the cold temperatures of the ice tunnels.
Gender Equality: Unlike their Earth relatives, the people of MINOS have, for the most part, do not have sexist biases. Sexism is a thing of the past, and there are no prejudices against anyone of any gender, including those who do not identify with the gender binary. In fact, it is much more common than it was on Earth for individuals to identify as neither male or female, and so MINOS officially recognizes 3+ genders.
Sexual Orientation Equality: There is no bias against any sexual orientation in MINOS. Same-sex marriage was legalized from the start, and the vast majority of people are not homophobic. Those who are, are seen as unusual and are often looked down on.
Cultural
Military Influence: Each country has their own police force and in the past those differing forces have fought, but the UN has recently enacted regulations on the militia to unify them across nations. They are trained in UN mandated facilities to keep behaviors consistent, so an officer will have an identifier for their country, but ultimately answers to the UN. Since everyone lives in such close quarters there have been major effort to quell that activity and have them work together, in order to obtain a safer Minos. This has been funneling more desire for conflict resolution between countries through the race. Police brutality for the poor is still rampant. Since there is not a lot of space to house prisoners, police often instead make a lesson of individuals and antagonise people in the streets as an effort to cut down on crime and enforce the law. However it ends up being often unnecessary and just as an act to assert power.
Religious Influence: Religion in MINOS is uncommon, but still practiced. There are a few people that have had their beliefs passed down from one generation to the next. When it is practiced it is in the home and not often in large groups or in churches like would have been found back on Earth. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are the most commonly found. There is a large separation of church and state within the majority of the governments of MINOS, but there are a few that still take religion into consideration when making political decisions.
Technology Influence: In the years before the Day of Ire, Earth was seeing an innovation boom that the industrial revolution couldn’t even shake a stick at. Every country found that during the original Earth Space Race, technology was highly coveted and consumed by the masses. The newest, biggest, and most powerful car, computer, and tech was always flowing out of well crafted pipelines. Everyone wanted the next best thing, and soon after they would have it. Instant gratification was at an all time high. Tape decks were getting refined into crystal clear audio, and computers CRT monitors were bigger, brighter, and more enticing than ever. Transatlantic cables were connecting users across the world, coding their own creations to send to other users and crafting online games where up to 50 users could play together. Societies of fuel junkies were popping up as cars took a new ideal. Sharp lines and slim windows edged the outside of the silverline and wood trimmed muscle cars. While the ships took to Europa this obsession only continued into the stars. Ships were built to resemble iconic Mustangs and LAN networks were set up on board. Europa did not have much time to innovate along side the Earth until it was destroyed. Therefore the colony of Minos is stuck in time and in space, an ever shifting collage of technology from the past. Repairing and attempting to improve what has already been invented before the day of Ire. However, there is sun on the horizon, and rumors that new tech has hit the market.
Arts and Culture Influence: People have found ways of making art all throughout MINOS. Each country has its own mediums and styles. It is not uncommon to see music being performed by busters in the street or murals on the side of walls, or a caricature artist trying to make a quick buck. The rich in the center of the city love to live in luxury and will pay for expensive clothing, and furniture design, or grand paintings. There is also a popular film/television scene around MINOS, and each country is has a few channels which can be broadcast around the moon. These channels are made to be accessible to each country so that even people from Russia can get shows from Togo, even though they might not understand them. Movies are equally as distributed, though they are few and far between. Television and film is expensive and difficult to produce, but with the rising capabilities of technology, the citizens of MINOS are finding more ways to provide entertainment. This is where coding loggers came into play. Those so enamored by the games of 1980’s Earth picked them apart until they could create them themselves. Spinning these games onto magnetic disks and chunky cartridges, thousands of gamers were created. The games spread like wildfire throughout Minos, and eventually a spiderweb of wires spread through the colony. Connecting hundreds of users all throwing BASIC code back and forth in a beautiful interconnected hive.